When it Comes to Your Sailing Education, You’re the Boss!

One of the most important parts of beginning your sailing education is finding the right sailing school. Every individual has different strengths, weaknesses, needs, and ideal learning methods. Likewise, every sailing school has different instructors, courses, boats, and teaching methods. Even a school’s location can affect your sailing education. For example, learning to sail in San Francisco Bay’s heavy winds might scare one student and motivate another. Here at ASA, we want to provide every sailor with a sailing education that conforms to their needs and inspires them to continue sailing We know this for sure: you know yourself, and we know sailing. So it’s up to you to determine where you will be happiest and learn the most.

Aside from perusing each sailing school’s website, the best way you can determine what school is the best fit is by calling them. It might seem a little old fashioned to the younger generation, but by talking to a human being you will be able to get all your questions answered and get a real feel for the school. You are essentially interviewing each school for the opportunity to teach you how to sail. That’s one of the huge benefits of learning to sail with ASA… We have so many schools that you always have a choice!

Here are some tips for how to effectively interview a sailing school:

§ Ask what courses are offered. This is the most important piece of information!

§ Ask about specialty courses. Some schools have destination courses, courses for couples, all-female courses, racing courses, and many others.

§ See if the school offers courses at times that fit into your schedule.

    Ask about private classes and group lessons. Which do they recommend and why?

§ Ask about instructors. Some people learn best from peers, others from older mentors, and some don’t have a preference. Figure out which category you fall into and find an instructor who will help you grow as a sailor!

§ Inquire about the student demographic. Are they similar to you? Does it matter to you?

§ Take note of how the person on the other end of the line reacts to your questions. Are you looking for a basic, clear sailing education or a carefree, fun one? Their tone of voice can tell you a lot about how the school operates and what instructors, students, and administrators are like.

If you’re still stuck between a few schools and can’t make up your mind, visit them!

By Bill Schrama

                                                     If you need a sailboat loan please visit  www.boatfinance.com

Financing a used boat purchase

Financing a Pre-Owned Boat

Purchasing a pre-owned boat can be a very good choice if you want to save thousands of dollars or get more boat for your money. Boats depreciate the largest percentage in the first 2 years. After 2 years if the boat is maintained the values hold strong.

If you're buying a pre-owned boat from a dealer you will likely get a helping-hand with the loan process. Many dealers have a Finance Manager on staff who can handle the whole transaction, from assisting with the application, vessel titling and through to the loan closing.
Other dealers may not have a finance specialist on their staff, but they may employ an outside loan service company that handles all the same tasks, and it will arrange all of the details.
Some dealers may simply send you to a bank or financial service company they refer business to, to have them handle the transaction.

You can save even more money by looking for a private seller and cutting out the dealer as the middle man. There are a few specialty lenders out in the market that will finance private party purchases and assist with the settlement. This is a great service because your getting the resources of a professional dealership with the savings of a private party pre owned boat purchase.

Boat Finance LLC located in North Palm Beach Florida offers financing for all types of used boats from $5,000 and up. Please visit our web site at www.boatfinance.com for more information.

By: Bill Schrama

P2P Boat Rentals Cruzin to Chicago!

New type of boat rental service.

Creating opportunities for new lakeshore lifestyle experiences, Cruzin announced its formal launch in the Chicago market. This secure, online boater-to-boater rental marketplace makes it easy for people to get out on the water, when and how they want. Whether a person desires to fish, cruise or sail, Cruzin.com offers a trusted community for renting directly from boat owners. Those who want to relax instead of navigate, or aren't yet comfortable with taking full command of the boat, can use Cruzin's captain service. Flexible rental listings enable boating adventures from a half-day to a week or longer. Each rental is fully insured and includes BoatU.S. towing services. Boat owners generate income from listing their vessels on Cruzin when they aren't personally being used. An otherwise idle boat can now help offset maintenance costs and slip fees. The owner has complete control over who rents his boat, for how long and for what price. "Chicago has a vibrant lakefront and river. Cruzin facilitates ways in which more people can enjoy the city from the water. Safety and fun are our priorities for both boat owners and renters," said Cruzin CEO Jaclyn Baumgarten. Cruzin screens both owners and renters to promote security for all involved. The Chicago market presents unique challenges with boat charter permitting requirements. But, Baumgarten explained, "We've worked to ensure all permitting requirements will be complied with directly through Cruzin, simplifying the boat listing process for owners.

By Bill Schrama

If you decide you want to buy a boat we can help make that dream come true.
www.boatfinance.com

Don't Go Off "Half-Cocked"!


When is the last time you exercised the seacocks on your boat? If it's been a while, you should consider doing it before you take that next cruise. Why? Because a seacock is worthless unless it works when you need it.

 The first thing to do is to make sure the valve looks like it is in good condition; and not suffering from any electrolysis. Badly rusted or corroded seacocks can suddenly break off or start leaking.

Another excellent idea is to tie a wooden plug of the proper size to the seacock handle so that it's immediately available as a last resort in case you do experience a seacock failure.

         
Seacocks come in a wide variety of sizes depending on the usage. The most common are bronze fittings, but there are also stainless steel and nylon fittings. Each probably have their advantages but bronze is tried and true and it seems like the best alternative.

Make sure you don't connect any dissimilar metals, because the electrolysis it causes is deadly.

When you are dealing with as important an area as holes in the bottom of your boat, it's a also good idea to use double hose clamps and check the fittings on a regular basis.

To keep seacocks functioning reliably, they need to be operated every once in a while, and lubricated at least once a year. Cone and plug type seacocks need to be disassembled to be properly serviced, but ball-valve seacocks are easily maintained by spreading a dollop of waterproof grease on both sides of the closed ball.

By Bill Schrama
www.BoatFinance.com

Top 10 Boat Names 2014

For the past two dozen years around this time, the Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has released their annual list of top ten boat names, and we usually pay attention to see if any boat names jump out at us.

The 2014 BoatUS list of top ten boat names are...

1. Serenity
2. Second Wind
3. Island Girl 
4. Freedom 
5. Pura-Vida 
6. Andiamo 
7. Island Time 
8. Irish Wake 
9. Happy Hours 
10. Seas the Day

Maybe you've seen these boat names before. Heck, if they are popular enough to make the top 10 list, you've probably got one or more of these boat names in your marina. Maybe your boat name is even on the list.

Some folks use lists like these to come up with boat name ideas, while others peruse them to decide what NOT to name their boat, as they would prefer to choose something more unique. 

Let us know if your boat name is on this list, or if you've seen any of them around on the water.

List is courtesy of www.boatus.com

Additional boat name ideas can be found at the Boat Name Blog - www.boatnameblog.com
Please visit www.boatfinance.com for the money you need to go boating.

Red Right Return... Right?

Red Right Return... Right?

An answer to that age-old question, "What Side of the Buoy Do I Go On???" 

Guest blog by Vincent Pica
Chief of Staff, First District, Southern Region (D1SR)
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

Red, Right, What? ©iStockphoto.com/Robert Rushton

Two of the “great mysteries” of boating are:

[1] how do I dock this thing in front of all these people and not look like a land-lubber, and

[2] Good Lord, what side of this buoy do I go on?

We will address #1 in a later column. We will address #2 right now and forever!

Here we go...

Imagine this. You are on one of those reality TV shows and you have won! In addition to the big job and the big bucks, the host throws in a beautiful penthouse apartment in a brand new 50-story condo overlooking the marina and harbor. You get so excited that you faint straight away. You wake up in the elevator and you see the elevator numbers flashing by…

If the numbers were going up, would you be leaving the building or returning to our new home in the penthouse? If the numbers were going down, would you be returning to your new home in the penthouse or leaving to go to work..? Clearly, if the numbers are going up, you are returning home. If the numbers are going down, you are leaving.

And the same is true of the buoyage system in the entire United States… While certain pearls of wisdom work in local waters (“keep the reds and the ocean on the same side of your boat”), they don’t work everywhere and they also fail to educate you as a mariner as to “how the system works” and why…

Of course, many of us have heard and used the old saw of “red, right, return” – meaning when returning from sea/to your harbor/home, keep the red buoys on your right. But often harbors line cheek-to-jowl along a shore. Are you leaving one or returning to the other? So, let’s extend the old saw and get it right forever more…

“Red - Right, Return; Left, Leaving.” Keep the red buoys on your right when returning and on your left when leaving. And, if the numbers are going up, you are returning (to your penthouse in the sky!) If the numbers are going down, you are leaving (to that great job you just won!)

Be wary of one thing – “discontinuous numbers”, meaning big jumps between buoy numbers or the numbers starting to go the opposite way. This means you have entered a new seaway or road and you need to recalibrate the direction of the numbers. For example, if returning from sea via an inlet, you will certainly see the buoy numbers go up in step. But what if, for examples, pass Nun#4 and see ahead Can#15? That’s a big jump and undoubtedly means you are entering a new seaway. Now, what side? Quickly check your chart. If the next buoy after this hypothetical Can#15 is Nun#16, you are still “returning from sea.” If, however, it is Nun#14, you are “leaving harbor” as far as the buoyage system is concerned! Remember: Red-Right-Return; Left-Leaving. In this case (leaving), you would now take Can#15 to starboard so that you can subsequently take Nun#14 to port (left leaving!). Never fails (in North America).

Want to know why our reds are on our right when returning from sea and not the other way around as in Europe? Well, when we were at war with the mightiest navy in the world over 230 years, the revolutionaries turned all the buoys around so that the English men-of-war would run aground… and we just kept them that way ever since…!

“Red - Right, Return; Left, Leaving.” If the numbers are going up, you are returning as far as the rules of the road are concerned… Always…

BTW, if you are interested in being part of USCG Forces, email me at JoinUSCGAux@aol.com or go direct to the D1SR Human Resources department, who are in charge of new members matters, at DSO-HR and we will help you "get in this thing…"

 

                   Need a boat loan. Loans from $5,000-$35,000 for anything you need to boat!

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